Building web apps: don't start with the home page

Interaction Design in Europe

Convivio - the European Network for the Human-Centered Design of Interactive Technologies - has kicked off a series of interviews with leading voices in the field of human-centred design. Interviews will feature people from all over the world, but with an emphasis on European voices (and I'm biased, but it's wonderfully refreshing to have a European perspective on all things HCI).

Adam finishes with some great advice for designers who are interested in getting involved with 'ubiquitous computing':

"[...] I’d imagine that getting comfortable with user observation and ethnography, contextual inquiry, and other techniques for the qualitative understanding of the experience of use will stand you in good stead. And if neither of these two suggestions appeal, about all I can say is sit just where you are - because it seems fairly likely to me that some kind of Everyware will come to you."

I've read the free chapter, and it's very good. It helps conceptualise how most web applications should be structured - useful if you're struggling to envisage how screens should 'flow' from one to the other.

Designing grid systems

The grid is a regulatory system which pre-empts the basic formal decisions in the design process. it's preconditions help in the structuring, division and ordering or content. I'm not saying a well designed grid will solve all of your compositional problems, far from it, but it goes some way in creating a coherent structure in design which in turn creates the aesthetic values all of us are after in our designs.

AJAX: Use only as indicated

AJAX offers us some nice options when it comes to user interface. The yellow fade technique, to site an example, is neat, simple and useful. However, as with any technology it should be used only when it’s needed. Well, unless you’re just messing around with it of course. Start with the problem, then apply the solution and all that.

AJAX Interaction Demos

Jeffrey points to the work of Bill Scott of Sabre Airline Solutions who have put some code and demos online at OpenRico.org.

By the way, if anyone is doing this kind of work in NZ, get in touch. I'd be keen to get involved from a usability and interface design perspective (as in: I'd be happy to offer my services for *cough* free in return for a good case study).